The new Research and Development Center of Daikin Europe, an R&D and tech hub for heat pumps in the heart of Europe

Daikin, a leading global manufacturer of heat pumps, air conditioning, ventilation, and refrigeration (HVAC-R) has prioritised R&D for over a century and launched many market innovations. In 2008, its European team introduced the world’s first air-to-water high-temperature heat pump for single-family homes. Leveraging its largest R&D team in Ostend, Belgium, Daikin invested €140 million in a new facility at Ghent University’s Tech Lane Ghent Science Park, in Ghent, Belgium. The Daikin EDC was completed by end of 2024, and the Belgian R&D team of Daikin gradually moved in, in the first half of 2025.

The EDC is one of Daikin’s largest R&D sites globally. With this investment, Daikin positions Ghent as the core hub for developing future heat pump heating technologies, advancing the transition away from fossil fuel heating to renewables throughout EMEA. The EDC steers other R&D teams with a focus on DX technology in the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy and Turkey. Furthermore, it closely cooperates with the Daikin Europe Group’s other R&D teams for Refrigeration solutions in the United Kingdom, Spain and Austria. 

The EDC building is equipped with cutting-edge Daikin technology that showcases efficiency, flexibility and practical performance, and enables the simulation of different climate zones for testing purposes. The 56-metre-tall building provides 10,200 square metres of office space and 11,000 square metres of laboratories and testing facilities, featuring 23 state-of-the-art test chambers. 

“The EDC Ghent is much more than just a building – it is a strategic hub for Daikin’s research and development across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Our R&D center brings together industry-leading talent, fosters collaboration, and drives innovation in heating, air conditioning, ventilation, and refrigeration. By accelerating the energy transition and serving as Daikin’s global R&D for heat pump heating technologies, EDC Ghent is shaping the future of sustainable climate solutions both in our region and worldwide,“ says Wim De Schacht, Vice President Service & Solutions and Corporate Affairs at Daikin Europe. The facility is designed to accommodate up to 500 R&D employees. 

Ghent as a hub for innovation

Daikin chose Tech Lane Ghent Science Park for its new EDC due to its proximity to Ghent University and access to a strong network of labs, start-ups, and tech companies. This move strengthens Daikin's collaboration with the university in heat pump technologies, Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Daikin's research and development department had been based in Ostend since 1973, but Daikin needed more space and specialised EMC test rooms for electromagnetic compatibility, which this new premises in Ghent could provide.  With the investment in Ghent, Daikin has doubled its testing capacity in Belgium, as the existing test chambers in Ostend will also remain in use.

Focus on energy efficiency

The new EDC facility, completed in September 2024 after three years of construction, began welcoming employees in early 2025. Covering nearly 28,000 square meters, it features a 14-storey office and a six-storey test room building. Built to nZEB standards and aiming for BREEAM 'Excellent', the complex uses Daikin’s energy-efficient technology, a 30 kWp rooftop solar system, and integrated rainwater management with ten 20,000-litre tanks. Excess water is sent to an infiltration basin. Initial energy savings assessments are in progress.

Building technology in detail

The systems installed at the EDC facility provide building supply functions and demonstrate the use of modern heat pump, air conditioning, ventilation, and refrigeration technology. 

• The core setup consists of Daikin air-cooled and water-cooled VRV systems, Daikin Altherma systems, Daikin customised air handling units (AHUs), and geothermal energy. 

• The Daikin Altherma systems include water-to-water units for underfloor heating in the office building lobby, and air-to-water units that deliver hot water to the changing rooms, showers, and kitchen in the test building.  

• Approximately half of the building’s technical systems utilise geothermal energy, connected to water-cooled VRV and Daikin Altherma water-to-water systems, while the remainder employ air-cooled VRV systems with heat recovery.

• To harness geothermal energy, 72 boreholes - each 146 metres deep - were drilled around the EDC facility, creating a total underground heat exchanger length of 42 kilometres. The network is also designed for possible future expansion.

• Next to these installations, the test chambers’ building uses cooling systems from Daikin's Tewis and Hubbard subsidiaries to create precise test conditions.

• The rooftop houses about 13 air-cooled VRV outdoor units and an AHU, which supplies fresh air to upper floors. The AHUs connect to the VRV systems to preheat or precool incoming air. 

• The AHUs serving the six lower floor offices, as well as the AHU designated for the auditorium and canteen, are integrated with water-cooled VRV systems. These AHUs are positioned on the roof of the test room facility.

• To connect the indoor and outdoor units, a total of 14.5 kilometres of piping was installed – an impressive figure that illustrates the scale of the project.

Technology for the test chambers

A robust cooling plant with 3-megawatt capacity serves the test chambers, also providing 1.8 megawatt of hot glycol for flexible heating or cooling. Six Tewis chillers with heat recovery make this possible; any excess heat is dissipated into the surrounding air.

Of the 23 test chambers, one can reach as low as -40 °C thanks to a water-cooled Daikin Hubbard chiller with a capacity of 75 kW.

Demand-controlled ventilation

Five custom-built Daikin AHUs deliver 85,000 m³/h of airflow and 297 kW cooling, with efficient heat wheel technology recovering heat and moisture from exhaust air to maintain comfort and reduce energy consumption. Meeting rooms feature independent heating/cooling, sound insulation, and an increased fresh air rate of 45 m³/h per person, requiring larger ducts. Humidity is managed by the system’s heat wheel and, if needed, additional humidification. CO₂ sensors modulate the fresh air supply based on demand, minimizing AHU operating hours and saving energy.

Daikin sets new standards in Europe

With the Daikin Europe Research and Development Center, Daikin is sending a clear signal about Europe’s role within the company’s global research landscape: “We want to actively shape the future of heating and climate technology in Europe. At the EDC in Ghent, we pool knowledge, test technologies on a large scale and develop new systems that meet the high demands of efficiency, comfort and sustainability even better,” summarizes Laurent Van Thournout, Deputy General Manager EDC at Daikin Europe.

Discover more in the images below, showcasing the new Daikin Europe Research and Development Center in Ghent.

Europe EDC Ghent fact sheet